Car-coupling.



PATENTED SEPT. 11

W G S Nm m MU BO C .R AA .C G

APPLIOATIOH FILED DEO. 18. 190'5.

v ..Iza/622121".- Herman M q/J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAF A. HERMANSON, OF CHICAGO, ILI JINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES MUNTON, OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

No. &30,713.

Specfication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAF A. HERMAN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in C ar-Couplers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplers o-f the Master Car-Builders type, having a forked draw-head, pivoted knuckle, and gravity-lock. e

The object of my invention is to provide a car-coupler of a strong, simple, efiicient, and durable construction, composed of few parts, in which the lock may be set in position for coupling and uncoupling, and in which when the cars are coupled together and the train is in motion the lock will' be effectually prevented from jumpingi' or creeping, as it is called-that is to say, from accidentally moving upward, so as to permit the cars to become uncoupled, and thus endanger the safety of the train. Heretofore the lock has usually been prevented from creeping or jumping upward by making the lock in two pieces, one piece being the lock proper and the other being a lifting-piece having a sliding connection with the lower piece or lock proper; but this is objectionable because of the extra piece and additional expense of the lock and also because the sliding movement of the lifting-piece in respect to the lock makes an additional throw or eXtent of movement of the lifting-lever necessary, which is also objectionable in practical operation.

By my invention I provide a single-piece lock With a simple and eflicient means for preventing its jumping or creeping, while at the same time the lock may be easily raised by the lifting-lever and the devices for preventing creeping disengaged.

My invention consists in the means I employ to accomplish this object or result that is to say, it consists, in connection with the draw-head and knuckle of the coupler and gravity-lock, in providing the lock with a shoulder or device for preventing creeping of the lock at the upper end thereof, on its front side, which coperates with an inwardlyprojecting flange or shoulder on the drawhead to prevent the jumping or creeping of the lock, and in providing the .lock near its lower end with a foot or projection on the rear side thereof, which engages the bottom web or floor of the draw-head, upon which the lock is supported when it is in its lowermost or closed position, and this causes the upper end of the lock to normally tilt frontward, and thus hold the shoulders or devices on the lock and draw-head for preventing the creeping of the lock normally in engagement with each other; while at the same time the lock when it is raised by the lifting -lever is free to tilt forward at its upper end, and thus disengage the shoulders or devices on the lock and draw-head, which normally prevent the upward movement of the lock or its creeping or jumping.

It further consists, in connection with these parts, in providing the lock with an inclined cap or fiange at its upper end, which engages an inclined face or seat on the drawhead and also aids in holding the shoulders or devices on the lock and draw-head for preventing of creeping in normal engagement with each other.

My invention also consists in the novel Construction of parts and devices and in the novel combination of parts and devices herein shown and described.

In' the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a carcoupler embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the lock.

` In-'the drawings, A represents the drawhead, having the customary pivot-arm a and guard-arm a B is the knuckle, having the customary front arm or nose b and rear arm or tail b', C the pivot-pin, and D the lock.

The lock D has a lock-set leg d, having a lock-set ledge or shoulder d' to engage the bottom web 'or floor a of the draw-head, and thus'hold the lock in position for uncoupling. The lock D also has a lock-set shoulder or ledge d adapted to engage the rear arm or tail of the knuckle and set or hold the lock in position for coupling when the knuckle is open. The lock D is further provided at or near its upper end and on its front side with a shoulder or device d which engages a corresponding inwardly-projecting flange or shoulder a on the draw-head adjacent to the opening therein for the lock. The interengaging shoulders (1 (1 prevent the lock when it is in IOO its closed or lowermost position from' jumping or creeping or from being moved upward at all except by first giving the lock a rearward tilting movement at its upper end, as is done by the arm f of the lifting-lever F when the lifting-lever is operated to raise the look. The lock is further provided at its upper end with a cap or flange d which overlaps the opening in the draw-head and closes the same. This cap or flange d of the lock is upwardly and backwardly inolined, preferably about as illustrated in the drawing in Fig. 1, and the corresponding face a of the draw-head surrounding the lock-opening therein is also preferably similarlyinclined, so that the front edge or fiange d of the lock will overhang and engage or come over the flange 60 of the lock. The inolined cap of the lock, in connection with the coperatinginclined upper face on the draw-head, thus tends to cause the upper end of the lock to slide or tilt forward and maintain the shoulders d a in engagement with each other when the look is in its lowermost position. This action or tendency is further occasioned or aided by the foot or projection d on the rear face of the lock, near the lower end thereof, which engages and rests upon the bottom web or floor a of the draw-head. This foot or projection d at the rear side of the lock, near the lower end thereof, thus gives' the lock a pivotal support near its lower end well to one side of its center of ravity, and thus tends to tilt the upper end of the lock forward and maintain the lock-creeping-prevention shoulders (1 a in engagement with each other. The foot or projection d extends somewhat below the lock-set shoulder d of the look, so that this look-set shoulder d does not rest upon the bottom web or floor a of the draw-head, as has heretofore been customary.

I claiml. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head and pivoted knuckle, of a single-piece lock extending through the drawhead from top to bottom and provided with a shoulder on its front side near its upper end to prevent jumping or creeping of the look, said draw-head having an inwardly-projecting flange or shoulder coperating with said shoulder on the upper end of the lock and said lock being adapted to tilt backward at its upper end when raised by the lifting-lever and thus disengage said shoulder at its upper end from the shoulder on the draw-head, substantially as specified.

'2. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head and pivoted knuokle, of a single-piece look eXtending through the drawhead from top to bottom and provided with a shoulder on its side near its upper end to prevent jumping or creeping of the look, said draw-head having an inwardly-projecting flange or shoulder coperatin with said shoulder on the upper end of the look and said lock being adapted to tilt baokward at its upper end when raised by the lifting-lever and thus disengage said shoulder at its upper end from the shoulder on the draw-head, said lock being also provided near its lower end on its rear side with a foot or projection to support the lock on the bottom web or floor of the draw-head to one side of its center and thus cause the upper end of the lock to normally tilt forward when the lock is in its lowermost position and thereby maintain said shoulder on the lock in en agement with said coperating shoulder on the draw-head, substantially as specified.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head and pivoted knuckle, of a lock provided with a shoulder on its front side near its upper end to prevent cree ing or jumping of the lock, said draw-bea having an inwardly projecting flange or shoulder coperating with said shoulder on the upper end of the lock, and said lock being adapted to tilt backward at its upper end when raised by the lifting-lever and thus disengage said shoulder at its upper end from the shoulder on the draw-head, said lool( being also provided near .its lower end on its rear side with a foot or projection to support the lock on the bottom web or floor of the draw-head to one side of its center and thus cause the upper end of the lock to normally tilt forward when the lock is in its lowermost position and thereby maintain said shoulder on the lock in engagement with said coperating shoulder on the drawhead, said lock having at its upper end an inclined cap or fiange, and said draw-head having an inolined upper face surrounding the lock-opening therein, substantially as specified.

L In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head and pivoted knuckle, of v a single-piece lock extending through the draw-head from top to bottom and provided with a shoulder on its front side near its upper end to prevent jumping 'or creeping of the lock, said draw-head having an inwardlyprojeoting flange or shoulder coperating with said shoulder on the upper end of the lock and said lock being adapted to tilt backward at its upper end When raised by the lifting-lever and thus disengage said shoulder at its upper end from the shoulder on the drawhead, said look having at its upper end an inolined cap or flange and said draw-head having an inolined upper face surrounding the lock-opening therein, substantially as specified.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head, of a knuckle and a singleiece lock extending through the draw-head from top to bottomand provided with a lockset leg at its lower end having a lock-set shoulder, and furnished on its front side near its upper end with a shoulder to prevent creeping or jumping of the lock, said draw-.

IOO

IIO

' head having a projecting fiange or shoulder coperating With said shoulder near the upper end of said lock and said lock being adapted to tilt backward at its upper end when raised by the lifting-lever and thus disengage said shoulder at its upper end from the shoulder on the draw-head, substantially as specified.

6. In a oar-coupler, the combination with the draw-head, of a knuckleand a singlepiece lock eXtending through the draw-head from top to bottom and provided With a lockset leg at its lower end having a lock-set should-er, and furnished on its front side near its upper end with a shoulder to prevent oreeping or jumping of the lock, said drawhead having a projecting fiange or shoulder coperating with said shoulder near the upper end of said lock and said lock being adapted to tilt backward at its upper end when raised by the lifting-lever and thus disengage said shoulder at its upper end from the shoulder on the draw-head, said lock having also a lock-set shoulder adapted to engage the rear arm or tail of the knuckle when the knuckle is open, substantially as specified.

7. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head and pivoted knu'ckle, of a look provided With a shoulder on its front side near its upper end to prevent jumping or creeping of the lock, said draw-head hav-- ing an inwardly-projecting flange or shoulder coperating with said shoulder on the upper end of the look and said look being adapted to tilt backward at its upper end when raised by the lifting-lever and thus disengage said shoulder at its upper end from the shoulder on the draw-head, said lock having at its upper end an inclined oap or fiange and said draw-head having an inclined upper face surrounding the lock-opening therein, said lock being also provided near its lower end on its rear side with a foot or projection to support the lock on the bottom web or floor of the draw-head to one side of its center and thus cause the upper end of the lock to normally tilt forward when the lock is in its lowermost position and thereby maintain said shoulder on the lock near the upper end thereof in engagement with said coperating shoulder on the draw-head, substantially as specified.

8. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head, of a knuckle and a singlepiece lock extending through the draw-head from top to bottom and provided with a lockset le at its lower end having a lock-set shoulder, and furnished on its front side near its upper end with a shoulder to prevent creeping or jumping of the lock, said drawhead having a projecting flange or shoulder coperating with said shoulder near the upe'r end of said lock and said lock being adapted to tilt backward at its upper end when raised by the lfting-lever and thus disengage said shoulder at its upper end from the shoulder on the draw-head, said lock having at its upper end an inclined cap or fiange and said draw-head having an inclined upper face surrounding the lock-opening therein, substantially as specified.

9. In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head, of a ivotedknuckle and a single- ,piece lock eXtencing through the draw-head from top to bottom and provided with a lookset shoulder to engage the draw-head and set or support the lock in position for uncoupling, and a further lock-set shoulder to set or support the lock on the rear arm or tail of the knuokle in position for ooupling, said look being also provided on its front side near its upper end with a shoulder to prevent creeping of the lock, said draw-head being provided with a fiange or shoulder to engage said shoulder on the lock near the upper end thereof when the lock is in its lowermost position, substantially as specified.

10. In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head, of a pivoted knuckle and a sinle-pieoe look eXtending through the drawead from top to bottom and provided with a lock-set shoulder to engage the draw-head and set or Support the lock in position for uncoupling, and a further look-set shoulder to set or support the lock on the rear arm or tail of the knuokle in position for coupling, said lock being also provided on its front si( e near its upper end with a shoulder to prevent creeping of the lock, said draw-head being provided with a flange or shoulder to engage said shoulder on the lock near the upper end thereof when the lock is in its lowermost positi on, said lock being further provided with a foot or projection on the rear side thereof to engage the bottom web or floor of the drawhead and support the lock to the rear side of its center and cause its upper end to tilt forward when the lock is in its lowermost position, substantially as specified.

11. In a car-coupler, the combination with a draw-head, of a pivoted knuckle and a look provided With a lock-set shoulder to engage the draw-head and set or support the look in position for uncoupling, and a further lookset shoulder to set or support the lock on the rear arm or tail of the knuokle in position for couplin said look-being also provided on its front si e near its upper end with a shoulder to prevent oreeping of the look, said drawhead being provided with a flange or shoulder to engage said shoulder on the lock near the upper end thereof when the lock is in its lowermost position, said lock being further provided with a foot or projection on the rear side thereof to engage the bottom web or floor of the draw-head and support the look to the rear side of its center and cause its upper end to tilt forward when the lock is in its lowermost position, and said lock having an IOO inclined cep or flange at its upper end and the draw-head having an inclined upper face surrounding the look-opening therein, substantially as specified.

12. In a car-coupler, the combination With a draw-head, of a pivoted knuckle and a, single-piece look extending through the drawhead from top to the bottom and provided With a look-set shoulder to engage the drawhead and set or support the lock in position `for unooupling, and a further lock-set shoulder to set or support the lock on the rear arni or tail of the knuckle in position for eouplin said lock being also provided on its frontside near its 'upper end With a shoulder to prevent creeping of the lock, said draw-head being provided With a fiange or shoulder to engage said shoulder on the look near the upper end thereof When the lock is in its loWerInost position, said look being further provided' With an inclined cap or fiange at its upper end and the draw-head being provided With an inclined upper face surrounding the lock-opening therein, substantially as specified. I

GUSTAF A. HERMANSON. witnesses H. M. MUNDAY, WILLIAM A. GEIGER. 

